funding was uncertain, and several local requirements would have to be addressed before the center could open.
For a few days, the practical difficulties seemed overwhelming.
Then Yuki suggested they begin on a smaller scale.
They could partner with an existing community organization, help fund counseling sessions, and organize occasional gatherings for young people who had experienced loss.
The center did not need to open all at once for the original purpose to survive.
Kenji studied her proposal.
“This is a good idea,” he said.
“I know.”
“You have become very confident.”
“I’m married to a man who argues with pancakes. Someone has to make sensible decisions.”
He laughed.
For the first time, the project felt less like a memorial to the people Kenji had lost and more like a living commitment to the people who still needed help.
It would not bring Aiko and Hana back.
Nothing could.
